


Flowers for Her

by Maya_Koppori



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen, Mentions of Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-20 21:05:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4802192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maya_Koppori/pseuds/Maya_Koppori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Based off of a tumblr prompt: “Sometimes I steal flowers from your garden on my way to the cemetery, but today you’ve caught me and have demanded to come with me to make sure the “girl is pretty enough to warrant flower theft” and I’m trying to figure out how to break it to you that we’re on our way to a graveyard” AU</p></blockquote>





	Flowers for Her

"Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from my hydrangeas."

You jump clear out of your skins, hand clapped over your wildly cantering heart, and look up guiltily. There's a man in dark triangular glasses and a gardening hat standing above you, arms crossed and with a rather sharp looking spade in one gloved hand.

The skin is freckled and tan, likely from long days tending to the soil, and his white undershirt is just as sweat soaked as your button up. He looks absolutely livid.

"Um." You stand up fully, a small clump of brightly colored blue flowers clenched tightly in your fist. Dirt crumbles and falls onto your suit pants and you wince. "This isn't what it looks like."

"Really? Cause it sure looks like you're plundering my garden for the third time this month because you're too cheap or lazy to go to an actual goddamned florist." The man opens his arms in a helplessly incredulous gesture. "Seriously man, I'm running some actual scientific experiments with some of these plants. I can't let some random guy off the street just waltz in here and take his date some of my work in progress."

You reach into your breast pocket for your handkerchief to dab furiously at you brow. "Really chum, it's not what you think. And to be fair, I'm quite aware of this garden's botanical legacy." Managing a slight nod of your head, you indicate the plaque staked into the soil. It's a short summary of the effects of pH on the coloration of hydrangeas, and you've read it through each time you've come here. "I'm really a big fan of Mr. Strider's work, and so is-"

"Dirk."

"I beg your pardon?"

The man sighs and removes his hat so you can see him better. Bright yellow hair spills out, nearly steaming from the summer heat. "My name's Dirk," he says slowly, as if you're an imbecile. "Dirk Strider. If you're such a big fan, I figured you would know. Now what do you really want?"

Well, phooey. "I told you, I just came for these!" You shake your sad little bundle, more worse for the wear than you'd like but still better than nothing. "I can't get them anywhere else, and they're her favorite!"

A groan from Dirk. "Ugh, this chick again. Well, I guess it can't be helped." He stoops down beside you and pulls a small pair of clippers from his belt. To your astonishment, he starts cutting hydrangeas from the most lush branches and arranges them in what may be the most beautiful bouquet you've ever clapped your bespectacled peepers on. He thrusts them at you, and you only barely catch them. "Now- what was your name again?"

"Jake?" It comes out like a question. "Jake English."

"That sounds so fake," Dirk whispers under his breath. "Ok, Jake. You mind waiting here for a minute?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No." He shoots you a thumbs up and disappears into the house, reappearing a few moments later in a crisp orange dress shirt and black pants. "Alright, let's get going."

That takes the cake. You can only stare.

"What're ya waiting for? Let's go see this girl who's apparently beautiful enough to become a serial flower thief for." Dirk takes you by the elbow and steers you through the garden gate- boy, why didn't you see that before? It would have been much easier than jumping the fence each time.

The whole way, you try to explain yourself. He won't hear any of it, only keeps pace with you in silence. Eventually, you give up. You've been stealing from him, after all, and he gave you the bouquet. If he wants to meet your best girl, you can hardly deny him.

Dirk doesn't seem to notice when your steps take you past the food district, and the shopping district, and the movie theatre, and basically every conceivable place you would think to take a date.

He finally pauses when you turn toward the church, but only briefly. "Really?" he deadpans. "So you're the kind of guy who invites girlfriends to graveyards?"

"Not my girlfriend," you mumble.

"Oh." A shiver runs up your spine as he looks at you more closely over the rims of his shades, eyes the color of his shirt. A lazy smirk crosses his face. "Boyfriend?"

You round on him, jaw set. It's one thing for him to be curious, but this is getting just plain disrespectful. "I'm single," you snap. "Always have been, always will be at this rate. Now could you stop here?" You indicate the ground at his feet and carry on your way, not looking to see if he complied.

It's a big marker, probably bigger than she would have liked. But with all the money she left you, how could you not go the extra mile on something so important? She was so much to you, it felt like you would need a tower to list it all, not a two-foot hunk of marble.

You kneel down on the grass, settling into the familiar grooves your knees have made on previous visits. Behind you, Dirk sucks in a long breath. He's finally got it. You smile, tears welled in your eyes, as you replace your last meager offering with Dirk's flourishing gift. You take a deep breath and start out like you always do. "Hey there, Grandma. I made a new friend today..."

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of a tumblr prompt: “Sometimes I steal flowers from your garden on my way to the cemetery, but today you’ve caught me and have demanded to come with me to make sure the “girl is pretty enough to warrant flower theft” and I’m trying to figure out how to break it to you that we’re on our way to a graveyard” AU


End file.
